Over the past several years, the modern automobile has transformed from a self-propelled mechanical vehicle into a powerful and complex electro-mechanical system that includes a large number of processors, sensors, and systems-on-chips (SOCs) that control many of the vehicle's functions, features, and operations. More recently, manufacturers have begun equipping automobiles with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADASs) that automate, adapt, or enhance the vehicle's operations. For example, an ADAS may be configured to use information collected from the automobile's sensors (e.g., accelerometer, radar, lidar, geospatial positioning, etc.) to automatically detect a potential road hazard, and assume control over all or a portion of the vehicle's operations (e.g., braking, steering, etc.) to avoid detected hazards. Features and functions commonly associated with an ADAS include adaptive cruise control, automated lane detection, lane departure warning, automated steering, automated braking, and automated accident avoidance.
Due to the speed at which automobiles travel, and the significant risk automobiles pose to passenger and pedestrian lives, today's automobiles are increasingly dependent on the speed, accuracy, safety, and security of the embedded electronic components. Speed, accuracy, safety, and security are particularly important in the SOCs that are used for automotive applications, such as the SOCs that include or control a vehicle's ADAS. Accordingly, new and improved circuits, components, systems, and solutions that better meet these and other demands of modern and future automobiles, including self-driving and autonomous vehicles, will be beneficial to car manufacturers, automotive engineers, consumers, and pedestrians.